Local government: The age of bankruptcy

The notion that local government could go bankrupt is a novel one, but one we’re going to have to get used to. The onslaught first of all on the independence of local councils, and secondly their finances, launched by Thatcher decades ago, is now coming to a head.

County councils in England have told ministers the “worst is yet to come” over “truly unpalatable” cuts to services and that several authorities risk going bust. The County Councils Network said an emergency injection of funds is needed next year to counter a growing financial “black hole”. A survey carried out by the County Councils Network found that a third of local authorities would struggle to balance their budgets for 2019/20 without extra funding, rising to two-thirds by 2020/21.

Related Content

About Us

As communists, we stand for an independent, united and self-reliant Britain run by the working class – the vast majority of the population. If that’s what you want too, then come and join us. Read more

Sign up for e-newsletter

Enter your email address below and click “Sign Up” to get your regular news update from the CPBML. It’s free, and we won’t use your email address for anything else. (NB: you will be sent an email asking you to confirm your sign-up – if you don’t see it, check your spam folder.)

We voted to take control, to take responsibility. Now we must make our demand loud and clear again, force them to carry out what they undertook to do – and make it clear that whatever happens we will not give up.